Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Hopes for 2012: Malisa Price

Today we have Malisa here sharing some New Year's resolution advice!

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Hello! My name is Malisa and I blog at malisaprice.com. Claire and I met through our mutual friend, Jodi. Today, I am looking forward to sharing my goal experience with you all.
Two years ago, I heard one of my all-time favorite speakers and financial advisers ever, discuss goals versus resolutions. When Dave Ramsey said that goals were specific, measurable, your own, written down, and had an end date. I had an epiphany. Those elements were ALL missing in my previous New Year's Resolutions.
Sure, I had wanted to lose weight, exercise more, read more, and all of the other wonderful resolutions myself and everyone else attempts. But these resolutions never lasted longer than about 2 minutes (the time it took for me to see a slice of cake or realize it was cold outside and there was no way I was leaving the couch to go for a walk).
In January 2010, I typed up some goals for myself. On the top I wrote my criteria: specific, written, time limit, measurable, and yours. I then wrote 6 goals that were all important to me. I wasn't writing this list so my husband would be impressed or that I could boast about it to other people, these were all things that I truly desired to do.
I then hung this standard, typical and plain piece of paper in my cubicle at work. It was taped in a spot that no one could see unless they were standing inside my cubicle. Each time I finished something on the list, I would write it down. It felt great to see progress being made!
One of my goals was to walk 365 miles in 2010. To measure my walking progress, I had a separate chart that I filled in for each mile I completed. I am so lucky to work nearby one of the most beautiful parks in California and one time around the park is 1 mile! This was a great way for me to calculate my miles and see the dent I was making in this goal.
At the end of the year, I was very happy with my progress. So happy, that I've kept the piece of paper! Here's what my goal chart looked liked:

Even though I had WONDERFUL success with my goals for 2010, this did not translate to 2011. Confession time: I didn't write my goals down for 2011. In fact, as I sit here with 2011 coming to a rapid close, I can't even remember what they were, except for two: finishing my Master's degree and saving cash to buy a new car. We did complete both of those but I'm sure there were more that I can't remember.
I learned that if I want to complete my goals, I must write them down. They also need to be something that matters enough to me to specify what I want to accomplish. Then, all I need to do, is take the steps to begin working on them! One-by-one.

Malisa blogs about cooking, crafting, and opinions about the world around her. She loves sharing the latest recipe she's modified and easy DIY crafts. Malisa enjoys discussing her experiences as a married woman and a follower of Christ in the 21st Century.

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Hi! I'm Beaktweets!

Most people call me Claire, though. Married to my best friend. Mama to two cuties. Loving life in the San Francisco Bay Area. Spend my days playing outside, baking, doing laundry and trying to time two naps perfectly so I can get one myself.